Twisted Zone Time Loop
by Senya Starseeker
Summary: I hope this hasn't been done in a fan fic before. In other words it's strange. Zero is trapped in a fight he can't win . . . again and again and again . . . Please R&R. (It's the never-ending-Monday-from-hell!!)
1. Monday

Twisted Zone 

--Time Loop-- 

--Monday-- 

Senya 

twilight_rhapsody@hotmail.com 

Disclaimer: Characters belong to CAPCOM, I don't own them!! (But you already knew that, right?) 

Author's Note: Thanks to Omega Dragoon for helping with this story and helping me come up with some of the idea. Takes place before Iris and the Colonel died and Signas is a Major. 

--Prologue--   
  


In a shadowy room Signas and a woman were talking, cloaked in shadows. Signas sitting at his desk. "Well what are we going to do about him?" The woman asked softly. 

"Hm? About who?" Signas asked, looking up at her from where he sat, she gazed out of the large window in his darkened office into the night. 

"You know, Lifesaver, he's been bothering us with his concerns about Zero for a long time now, it's growing tiresome." She answered. 

"Oh yes, well goddamnit I don't care what he says, Zero's the best damn Hunter we have! If Lifesaver wants something done Lifesaver can do it HIMSELF!" They both laughed at that. "I'll tell him as much next time he comes to my office too!" 

--Monday--   
  


"Damn!" X cried as a holographic Slash Beast tore by him, just grazing his left shoulder. It was one of the five he had programmed in to the training hall to practice on that day. 

Zero leaned back against the wall in a very nonchalant way with a slightly amused expression on his face. "Tell me again why you decided to fight them without any weapons at all?" He smirked. 

"Because. . ." X said between ducking and dodging the Mavericks. "Not all battles are won with brawn, Zero some are won with . . . brains!" 

That said X jumped between all five Slash Beasts, waited until they were all prepared to lunge at him and quickly dashed out of the way. The five holograms collided and were destroyed. 

"Hm." Zero said, and pushed himself off of the wall "I see." He paused, then, "Computer, restart program, doubling difficulty level." 

Immediately ten Slash Beasts appeared. 

"Zeeeeeroooo!" X whined, "You ALWAYS do this!!" 

"I'm just curious if you can handle this. Besides you wanted to train." Zero shrugged. 

"But now there's to many and it took me an hour to come up with my last plan!" X complained as he dodged the Mavericks which were already lunging at him. 

Zero only laughed, "Later, X." And walked out of the training centre. 

"I know they're only programmed to attack me but you could help a little on your way out!" X called. 

"That wouldn't be fair now, would it?" Zero asked. 

"How much about this is fair?!" X called back desperately, but Zero was already gone.   
  


Zero walked down the long Maverick Hunter Head Quarters' hallway, his black trench coat trailing behind him to cover up his armor. He turned casually into the mess hall, it was already packed full of reploids busily going every which way and bantering idly. Suddenly a reploid screamed as it slid across the ground, obviously about to trip-- right towards Zero. The large yellow robot's feet stumbled clumsily and his tray of food went flying as he fell face first to the ground, Zero having stepped calmly to the side. 

"Zero!" The roundish reploid said in a very whiny voice, "Why didn't you help me?" 

"Help you, Double?" The blonde Maverick Hunter laughed, "Why should I do that? You might have spilled some of that crap on me." 

"That's not very nice." Double said, picking himself and his now empty food tray up off of the ground. 

Zero was about to leave, when his gaze fell to where Double's food had landed. He couldn't contain his grin. 

"What? What is it?" Double asked, he turned around, Signas was standing a few feet away with soup drenching his face, lettuce hanging from his hat and noodles sticking to his shoulders. 

"DOUBLE!!" The Major yelled angrily. "Why don't you watch were you're going?!" 

"S--Sorry, Sir!" The robot muttered nervously. "I--I was just running to fast and I--" 

"Tripped? You always seem to trip over one thing or another--or your own two legs! Why don't you have Lifesaver take a look at them. Your clumsiness can probably be rectified." He said, wiping the soup from his face with a napkin. "Now, come with me." 

"Y--yes, Sir." Double gulped, and followed Signas out of the room. 

As they left, Lifesaver entered the mess hall. He immediately approached Zero with a superior smirk on his face. "Well what do you know . . ." he began, Zero arched an eyebrow in mild amusement. "This is a cafeteria for Maverick Hunters you know, not Mavericks!" 

With those words several of the reploids in the area turned from their food or conversations to stare at the two. Two bulky robot bouncers began moving towards them. 

Zero smirked at Lifesaver, "You heard him, take away the Maverick!" 

The two bouncers, grabbed Lifesaver roughly by the shoulders and dragged him out of the mess hall. "I'm not the Maverick!" Lifesaver screamed in protest, "HE is! HE is!!" He screamed, pointing at Zero. 

Zero sighed, "Really you think he'd get tired of trying to humiliate me when he sees it can't be done." 

X entered the mess hall then, and smiled at Zero, "I beat your ten Slash Beasts!" X said triumphantly. 

" . . . you ARE aware that your right arm is severed badly and only hanging on by one wire?" Zero asked. 

"Uh . . . yeah. But I'm gonna go see Lifesaver and have it fixed before I go back down and train again." 

"How many times do you go there in one day?" Zero asked. 

"Oh I go there all the time, I want to be as strong as you, Zero!" X smiled. 

"I see." Zero smiled back, "Well, you shouldn't push yourself to hard." 

X shrugged, "I'm fine with it, next time I'm gonna try beating them with no weapons but using . . ." X struck a martial arts pose, "Tai Qaun Do." 

Zero blinked, "X you don't KNOW Tai Qaun Do." 

"I'll figure it out." His friend shrugged again. 

"X, the martial arts aren't something you can just 'figure out' do you even know what 'Tai Qaun Do' means?" Zero said skeptically. 

As they spoke Lifesaver had re-entered the mess hall, he walked up to Zero, his eyes burning with anger. "You and me tonight, training centre." He said to Zero in a low growl-like voice. 

"You want to fight me?" Zero blinked, then he laughed, "You . . . Lifesaver you aren't even a battle reploid--" 

"Come on, unless you're to chicken!" Lifesaver taunted. 

"Fine, fine." Zero shook his head, "Tonight at nine, the training centre." He was still chuckling as Lifesaver and X left. 

At five to nine Zero made his way to the training centre, X was still battling Slash Beasts. "Good evening, X." Zero said. 

"Hi, Zero!" X called, "You know what; some battles aren't won with brains or brawn, some battles are won with . . ." (Martial arts pose) "Tai Qaun Do." 

"Uh huh . . . So you figured that out, I take it?" Zero said raising an eyebrow. 

"You know it! Actually, I had Douglas upload it into my brain. I also know karate and--" At that minute the Slash Beasts vanished. "Oh right, some jerk reserved this place for nine!" 

"Yeah, Lifesaver and me remember?" Zero asked. 

"Oh yeah, mind if I watch, this should be hilarious!" X laughed. 

"Why not?" Said Zero, throwing off his trench coat to reveal the glistening red armor beneath. "It should be good for a laugh." 

As if on cue the training centre's doors swished open and Lifesaver strutted in. "All right, the first one who calls for mercy loses and the fight stops, agreed." 

"Sure." Zero laughed, "But are you positive you want to do this, I might end up seriously injuring you, y'know." 

"Ha! We'll see about that!" Lifesaver smirked, he quickly pulled out two red sabers. 

"Do you . . . know how to use those?" Zero asked. 

"Arrrgh!" Lifesaver roared and rushed at him furiously. He slashed the two sabers at Zero madly but Zero easily dodged the strikes. 

Zero kicked him the chest and knocked the sabers out of his hands. He punched Lifesaver in the shoulder, then the chest, kicked his back. "Do you want to give up yet, just say the word!" Zero asked. 

Suddenly Lifesaver grabbed his fist and threw Zero across the room. "The hell--?" Zero muttered as he jumped back. 

"Surprised Zero, you shouldn't be! I've always felt I had . . . hidden potential!" Lifesaver grinned, he punched Zero across the face. 

"Damn!" Zero muttered as he stumbled backwards. That blow . . . hurt. "What the hell?!" He asked, he punched Lifesaver. 

Lifesaver kicked him in the gut, Zero fell backwards. "Impossible! It's not possible!" Zero cried quietly. He jumped back, grabbed Lifesaver's right arm and twisted it back, he could here it break, but Lifesaver didn't appear to mind. "I just broke your arm!" Zero screamed at him. 

"Oh is that what it was?" Lifesaver laughed, he stretched out his broken arm and it snapped back into place with a sickening crunch. 

"WHAT?!" Zero cried out, Lifesaver kicked him in the chest, Zero flew backwards and crashed into the ground. 

"What's going on Zero?!" X cried from the benches were he sat behind a glass wall. He leapt to his feet and banged on the glass. "What's wrong?! You're being beaten by . . . Lifesaver?!" 

"Impossible!!" Zero spat, he struggled to his feet this time, he realized his body was shaking. "This is not . . . possible!" 

He lunged at Lifesaver, this time he didn't hold back, he punched him with all of his strength, Lifesaver staggered but--but it should have sent him flying with a hole in his chest, Zero thought. He grabbed Lifesaver's arm again and this time twisted it until it broke off. He screamed and punched Lifesaver again, and again. 

Lifesaver stepped back a few feet. Zero realized that he was breathing heavily. Fighting Lifesaver was difficult. Why?! He thought desperately. Then Lifesaver did something which had never been done by a Reploid before. The socket where his arm had been began to glow and a new arm burst out of it, it grew until it matched the remaining one and a shine glazed off of it brilliantly. "WHAT?!?!" Zero screamed. Zero drew his saber, he slashed at Lifesaver in a hundred violent blows, the saber flashing to and fro in a blinding display of light, but when he stopped and the smoke cleared . . . not one scratch, not one dent, remained on Lifesaver. 

This time Lifesaver punched Zero and he went flying several feet backwards. He crashed into the floor and moaned in pain. "Impossible . . . this is impossible. . . I don't believe it . . ." He gasped. 

"Oh BELIEVE it." Lifesaver grinned, standing over him, he kicked him sharply in the side, Zero gasped in pain. "Just say it, say it and I win the fight." 

"NEVER I won't lose to YOU!" Zero screamed, from where he lay on the ground he kicked Lifesaver's knees, the reploid didn't even budge. 

"WHY?!" Zero gasped, "Why can't I beat you?!" 

Lifesaver kicked him again, and again, then he lifted Zero's own saber and raised it above his head. "So long, Zero!" 

He brought it down. 


	2. Tuesday

Twisted Zone 

--Time Loop-- 

--Tuesday-- 

Senya 

twilight_rhapsody@hotmail.com 

Disclaimer: Characters belong to CAPCOM, and I am not affiliated with them in any way . . . um how does that go? 

--Tuesday--   
  


Zero cried out as the saber came down on his head, but suddenly the training centre, Lifesaver, the pain, was all gone. He was staring at his own reflection in the dome of his resting capsule. "Damn . . ." He sighed, the capsule slid open. Across from him X's capsule opened as well. 

"Is something wrong, Zero?" X asked, sitting up sleepily. "I thought I heard a scream. It's five a.m." 

"N-No, I'm fine." Zero told him. "I just a had a--a dream, that's all." 

It seemed so real. 

"Really? I had a dream to!" X exclaimed. "It was really funny, you were being pummeled by Lifesaver! Lifesaver can you believe that?!" He stopped laughing when he noticed how Zero had paled. "What? What is it?" 

"Nothing." Zero said softly. "I think I'm just going to . . . go for a walk." 

Outside of their room Signas just happened to be walking. "You're up so early, Signas?" Zero asked. 

"Actually it's more like late for me. No rest for the weary!" He laughed, "Though I did dose off quite by accident a few minutes ago on my desk. Uh . . . don't tell Alia she'll kill me for not finishing the paperwork." 

"I see." 

"You know what I actually had a dream to," Signas continued, "My first one! Pretty neat, huh? And you were in it! You were in a fight with Lifesaver! The odd thing was that he was winning, tho'--" 

"What?!" 

"Sorry you don't control your dreams. Anyway, no need to get upset, Zero, we all know nothing like that could happen in real life!" Signas laughed, "Well now I'm off to file these Maverick reports. Maybe I'll actually get to bed tonight." 

Zero stared after him for a minute in disbelief. Was there anyone who hadn't had the same dream he had? Confused he wandered down to the mess hall. 

"You're up early." A friendly voice said. 

"Oh . . . Douglas." Zero glanced at the green reploid. 

"You know I had the oddest dream--" 

"Don't tell me--I was getting beaten by Lifesaver." 

"How did you know?!" Douglas asked in surprise. 

But Zero had already left, mumbling angrily to himself he pushed open the door to Dr. Cain's office and stalked inside. "Of course, he's probably still asleep." Zero mumbled. 

He hated to admit it, but the dream was bothering him more than it had any right to. It had been so vivid, so clear, so REAL, not like his other dreams of being created which were only hazy and fragmented. Restless he rose and paced the tiny office until an hour passed, and the doors slid open again. 

"Ah!" An elderly voice exclaimed, "Oh it's you, Zero, goodness, boy, you almost gave an old man a heart attack!" 

"Sorry, Sir." Zero said, "But I wanted to see you." 

"Well obviously." Dr. Cain said, shuffling across the room to his desk. "Whatever about at this hour? I usually don't get up until around eight, you're just lucky I couldn't sleep." 

"Strange dreams?" Zero asked in a weak voice. 

Cain looked surprised. "That's right . . . how did you know?" 

"Was it . . . by any chance a dream where Lifesaver and I were fighting?" 

". . . Alright what did you want to see me about? Does this have a connection to the dream or something?" Cain asked. 

"I'm afraid so. Everyone I've talked to had that dream. I did as well. Only it wasn't at all like a dream, it seemed so real, I thought it was, I had no idea--" 

"Well Zero humans often have dreams so realistic they believe that they're real until they wake up, nothing to strange about that. However it's never happened before that a group of people has had the exact same dream. That is odd." He stroked his white beard in thought for a moment. "I don't know what to make of it." 

Zero sighed in frustration. 

"I-I'll give it some research though, of course. Why--it really bothers you, doesn't it?" Cain asked. 

"Let's just say I'm not exactly comfortable with the entire HQ witnessing a defeat by--" He shuddered. "--Lifesaver." 

Dr. Cain chuckled, "Now, now, it was only a dream, no one will take it seriously." His eyes twinkled, "But why don't you go now, I'll handle the research, that's the boring part." 

"Alright." Zero left the office, "I may as well head down to the training centre to blow off some steam." He thought aloud, but when he entered someone was already using it. 

X, he was fighting five Slash Beasts, leaping to the side to dodge their attacks. "Hi, Zero." He said cheerfully as Zero entered. "Got over your dream? You know . . . I'm fighting these guys without any weapons. Not all battles are won with brawn, you know, some are won with brains!" 

Zero didn't respond, instead he stared blankly as X waited for all five holograms to lunge at him, then dashed out of the way causing the Mavericks to collide and explode. 

"Computer, restart program doubling difficulty level." He heard himself say, and immediately ten Slash Beasts appeared. 

"Zeeeerroooo!" X whined, "You ALWAYS do this type of thing to me!" 

"You can beat them, don't worry." Zero said, he turned suddenly then and left the centre. 

That was weird. What a weird coincidence, just like in my dream. 

He laughed to himself quietly at the thought, hm, maybe I'm a psychic or something. 

Zero swung around into the mess hall. "Dr. Cain would probably appreciate some coffee. . ." He said quietly, and began to move towards the counter. 

Suddenly a familiar yelp reached his ears, and Zero turned to see a large round reploid sliding across the floor, a tray loaded with food teetering in his grasp. 

Impossible, Zero thought, absolutely impossible. 

He caught Double firmly by the shoulders. 

"Ah . . . thanks, Zero." Double said quietly. "I think I was about to trip." 

"You were." Zero said in an unamused voice. 

"Um . . . anyway, thanks." The reploid repeated, and he moved quietly to a table and began to devour his breakfast. 

"Zero!" Said a voice behind him. 

He turned to see Signas--though this time not plastered with bits of food--standing in line with him. 

"Good to see you," The Major continued, "I was meaning to talk to you. . ." 

He gestured to an empty table, the two sat down. 

Behind Signas was a large painting of a moose, Zero hadn't noticed it before. 

"Um, Zero," Signas began awkwardly. "This is never easy to say . . . but . . . I just don't think you're Maverick Hunter material," 

"WHAT?!" Zero practically screamed, "Excuse me I am the BEST Hunter you have!" 

"Um, well . . ." Signas sighed, "I'm sorry but the General just doesn't want you to be a part of our organization any longer. I'm sorry, Zero, they're giving you one week to get your things together and then they want you gone." 

Zero blinked. 

"Well, I'm sorry . . . goodbye." He stood and left the mess hall. 

Zero was still staring blankly at his empty chair when Lifesaver approached him. "Well, well, whadaya know. . ." He began, a superior smirk on his face. 

Not this again, Zero thought, please don't tell me he's going to say-- 

"This is a cafeteria for Maverick Hunters, not Mavericks!" 

Zero wasn't entirely sure if he'd even replied but two large reploids appeared out of nowhere and began to drag a yelling Lifesaver away. "I'm not the Maverick! HE is!! HE is!!" He screamed, pointing in Zero's direction. 

This is to strange, to be a coincidence, Zero thought suddenly. 

He rose to go back to Dr. Cain when X ran up to him excitedly, "I did it, Zero! I beat 'em! I beat 'em!" Zero looked to X's arm, it was badly severed, hanging on by a wire. 

Just like before. In my dream. 

Dream. 

"Zero? Zero? Earth to Zero?" X asked, waving a hand before his friend's eyes impatiently. 

"W-What?" Zero asked, a little annoyed. 

"You know what I'm gonna try fighting 'em with now?" X asked, beaming with pride as he spoke. 

"Not . . . Tai Quan Do?" Zero asked. 

". . . That's exactly right." X stared at him dumbfounded for a moment, "WOW! How did ya know that Zero?! Heh heh . . .maybe you CAN read my mind or something!" 

"X . . . besides the fact that you don't KNOW Tai Quan Do, or even what it means, so I have no idea WHY you want to try that . . . and besides the fact that Douglas is serving meals in the mess hall over there--" He pointed to where Douglas was pouring an energy shake for a reploid. "And besides the fact there's a large painting of a moose over there on the wall . . . and even besides the fact that Major Signas just fired me . . . something is REALLY creepy about today." 

X didn't appear to hear him, he was busy striking martial arts-like poses. "Huh? Sorry Zero, you say somethin'?" 

". . . Never mind." Zero grumbled, and brushing past X made his way for the door when Lifesaver entered. 

"You think you're so tough, do ya, huh, big guy?!" Lifesaver suddenly yelled, "Well guess what, you and me tonight in the training centre!! Nine o'clock sharp, unless you're to chicken!" 

"Afraid? Of you? Not a chance!" Zero growled. 

The hell. It was just a dream. So what if his day was creepily like it had been his dream. Reploid's arms didn't grow back. Medical reploids couldn't be stronger than battle reploids. It was just a dream. He wasn't going to lose to Lifesaver, or let anyone call him a coward. 

"Then I'll see you there at nine!" Lifesaver snapped. 

"Nine it is!" Zero snapped back.   
  


"Damn it all . . ." Zero mumbled, he'd left the mess hall, he wanted to find Cain, he checked the office. 

"Ah Zero, what can I do for you?" The elder asked, looking up from a stack of notes and diagrams. "If it's about the dream I haven't found any informatio--" 

"Listen, Doctor, not only has everyone had my dream--it's coming TRUE!" 

"What? Don't be silly, you're just worried, that's all--paranoid." 

"Oh yeah, when I went to the training centre X was battling five Slash Beast holograms unarmed JUST like in my dream, then in the cafeteria Double was tripping, only I saved him this time and Signas said I don't have the right stuff to be a Hunter--" 

"He said what? Well you're the best Maverick Hunter!" 

"I know. Something's not right. Oh, then Lifesaver came in and made the same challenge to fight him in the training centre tonight." 

"I see. . ." Cain said thoughtfully. "Well, why don't you go and--and while this isn't something a person like me should say--really wallop him good. That will convince you this day has nothing to do with your dream, alright?" 

". . . Thanks, Doctor." Zero smiled, and left the office. 

Dr. Cain chuckled to himself as the bishounen reploid left, "Kids these days," He chuckled, "Kids these days . . . they may be made of metal but they're still the same inside as in my day . . ." 

At five to nine Zero walked into the training centre, confident and relaxed. "Good evening, X." Zero said, noticing his blue friend was still there. 

"Hi, Zero!" X called, "You know what; some battles aren't won with brains or brawn, some battles are won with--" 

"Tai Qaun Do." Zero finished for him. 

"W-what?" X asked, "How did you know I was gonna say--" 

"Uh . . .call it a lucky guess." Zero muttered, it unnerved more than he would have liked, but remembering Dr. Cain's advice he pushed the negative premonition he felt inside away. 

"That's awfully good for a guess, Zero." X said, "Not many people can finish another person's sentence." 

Zero laughed, "Well, we've been roommates for to long." 

At that minute the Slash Beasts vanished around them. "Oh right, some jerk reserved this place for nine!" X exclaimed. 

"Yeah, Lifesaver and me remember?" Zero asked. 

"Oh yeah, mind if I watch, this should be hilarious!" X laughed. 

"I guess it's alright." Zero said. 

Just like last time. It's happening exactly the same way. 

As if on cue the training centre's doors swished open and Lifesaver strutted in. "All right, the first one who calls for mercy loses and the fight stops, agreed." 

"Whatever." Zero shrugged, "Let's just get this over with." 

"That's fine with me!" Lifesaver smirked, he quickly pulled out two red sabers. 

Two red . . . just like in the dream. 

Relax! It was only a dream! Not real! A dream! He told himself strictly. 

"Arrrgh!" Lifesaver roared and rushed at him furiously. He slashed the two sabers at Zero madly but Zero easily dodged the strikes. 

Zero kicked him the chest and knocked the sabers out of his hands. He punched Lifesaver in the shoulder, then the chest, kicked his back. 

Just the same, God, we're even using the same moves. 

How can this be a coincidence?! 

Suddenly Lifesaver grabbed his fist and threw Zero across the room. "How the hell do you have such damn strength you SOB?!" Zero screamed. 

"Surprised Zero, you shouldn't be! I've always felt I had . . . hidden potential!" Lifesaver grinned, he punched Zero across the face. 

That hurt. 

Like in the dream. 

It was all happening again. 

Again. 

He was going to lose. 

To Lifesaver. 

Lifesaver kicked him in the gut, Zero fell backwards. "No! It isn't possible! I won't lose to you!!" Zero screamed. He jumped back, grabbed Lifesaver's right arm and twisted it back, he could here it break, but Lifesaver didn't appear to mind. "I just broke your arm!" Zero screamed at him. 

"Oh is that what it was?" Lifesaver laughed, he stretched out his broken arm and it snapped back into place with a sickening crunch. 

"WHAT?!" Zero cried out, Lifesaver kicked him in the chest, Zero flew backwards and crashed into the ground. 

"What's going on Zero?!" X cried from the benches were he sat behind a glass wall. He leapt to his feet and banged on the glass. "What's wrong?! You're being beaten by . . . Lifesaver?!" 

"Impossible!!" Zero spat, he struggled to his feet this time, he realized his body was shaking. "This is not . . . possible!" 

Again. It's happening again. 

Exactly like in the dream. 

His arm I BROKE his arm why isn't he hurt?! 

Zero lunged at Lifesaver, this time he didn't hold back, he punched him with all of his strength, Lifesaver staggered but--but it should have sent him flying with a hole in his chest, Zero thought. He grabbed Lifesaver's arm again and this time twisted it until it broke off. He screamed and punched Lifesaver again, and again. 

Lifesaver stepped back a few feet. Zero realized that he was breathing heavily. Fighting Lifesaver was difficult. Why?! He thought desperately. Just like in the dream. 

Just like in the nightmare! 

Then Lifesaver did something which had never been done by a Reploid before. Except for in Zero's dream. The socket where his arm had been began to glow and a new arm burst out of it, it grew until it matched the remaining one and a shine glazed off of it brilliantly. "Impossible!!" Zero screamed. Zero drew his saber, he slashed at Lifesaver in a hundred violent blows, the saber flashing to and fro in a blinding display of light, but when he stopped and the smoke cleared . . . not one scratch, not one dent, remained on Lifesaver. 

This time Lifesaver punched Zero and he went flying several feet backwards. He crashed into the floor and moaned in pain. "Impossible . . . this is impossible. . . I don't believe it . . ." He gasped. 

"Oh BELIEVE it." Lifesaver grinned, standing over him, he kicked him sharply in the side, Zero gasped in pain. "Just say it, say it and I win the fight." 

"NEVER I won't lose to YOU!" Zero screamed, from where he lay on the ground he kicked Lifesaver's knees, the reploid didn't even budge. 

"WHY?!" Zero gasped, "Why can't I beat you?!" 

Lifesaver kicked him again, and again, then he lifted Zero's own saber and raised it above his head. "So long, Zero!" 

He brought it down. 

Again. 


	3. Wednesday

Twisted Zone 

--Time Loop-- 

--Wednesday-- 

Senya Starseeker 

twilight_rhapsody@hotmail.com 

Disclaimer: Characters belong to CAPCOM, of course! 

A/N: Woohoo! I'm actually updating this!! Um . . . I wonder if anyone's still reading it. . . hm . . . 

--Tuesday--   
  


Zero cried out as the saber came down on his head, but suddenly the training centre, Lifesaver, the pain, was all gone. He was staring at his own reflection in the dome of his resting capsule. He took a shaky breath, and glanced around the room, he was really awake, this time, wasn't he? That was a . . . dream, wasn't it? As he wondered at this, X's capsule across from his also slid open. 

"Is something wrong, Zero?" X asked, sitting up sleepily. "I thought I heard a scream. It's five a.m." 

Zero's eyebrow twitched involuntarily, had X not asked that yester-- in the dream? He shook his head dumbly and did not respond to X. 

"But, anyway, guess what, Zero? I had a dream! Pretty neat, eh?" X exclaimed. "It was really funny, you were being pummeled by Lifesaver!" 

Zero made an awkward sound, he felt a chill run through his body. 

X gave him a strange look, "Uh . . . what? It was just a dream, hey, Z, you okay?" 

"Y--Yeah, of course." Zero answered. "I think I'm just going to . . . go for a walk." He shook his head, throwing on his trenchcoat and leaving the room. He wanted to see Dr. Cain . . . er, again. 

He ran into Signas, who was walking outside of their room, just like before. "What are you doing up?" Zero asked, remembering that Signas had been up before, as well. 

"Actually it's more like late for me. No rest for the weary!" He laughed, "Though I did dose off quite by accident a few minutes ago on my desk. Uh . . . don't tell Alia she'll kill me for not finishing the paperwork." 

Zero stopped listening, he began away from the young Major as quickly as he could, heading down the hallway, straight for Dr. Cain's office, forgetting how early it was. 

"Hey!" Signas called after him, "Hey! Hey, Zero! Don't you want to hear about my DREAM?!" 

"Yeah, right." Zero muttered sarcastically under his breath, veering to the right, at that minute a voice caught him off guard. 

"You're up early." The voice said, cheerfully. 

Great, cheerfulness was not something Zero was in the mood for right about then. "Douglas." Zero said dryly, without looking at the green Reploid. 

"You know I had the oddest dream--" 

"Save it!" Zero practically growled. 

"W--What?!" Douglas asked, shocked at Zero's behavior, sure he wasn't the most social Hunter ever to grace their HQ, but this was cold, even for him. 

The blonde hunter sighed irritably, and ran a hand through his golden bangs, suddenly thinking of something. "Say, Douglas, did you have that dream for the first time last night, or the second." 

"Huh? Oh, the first, it's my first dream ever, actually. Most Reploids don't dream it's--" 

But Zero had already left, mumbling angrily to himself he pushed open the door to Dr. Cain's office and stalked inside. "Right, he's still asleep--damn it!" Zero groaned, kicking on of the office chairs, it flipped over with a large crash and the office doors slid open. 

"What in heaven's name?!" An elderly voice exclaimed, "Oh it's you, Zero, goodness, boy, you almost gave an old man a heart attack! I thought it was some Mavericks ransacking my office!" 

"Sir," Zero began without wasting time, staring the elderly scientist directly in the eyes, "Do you remember, when I talked to you about my dream, yesterday?" 

"Uh . . . no." Dr. Cain replied, scratching his grey hair absently, "But speaking of dreams, I--" 

"Had one where Lifesaver beat the crap out of me?" Zero asked, rubbing his temples. 

Cain looked surprised. "That's right . . . how did you know?" 

"Um . . . I don't know how to explain this, but Doctor we've done this BEFORE!" Zero cried desperately. 

". . . . alright. . . done . . . . what?" 

"Ugh!" Zero threw his hands into the air in frustration, "This! THIS!! This conversation, this dream, everything!! I told you that everyone was having this dream, you said you'd look into it. Then I live my day exactly the same way I dreamed it, including the fight where I--" He coughed, "Lose to Lifesaver-- and then I wake up, and now we're back here. . ." Zero began pacing the room, running his hands through his long golden hair, shaking his head and continuing to mutter things that the doctor, for all his wisdom, could not comprehend. 

". . . I see." Dr. Cain said slowly, "Why don't you . . . calm down, Zero? Have a seat . . ." The doctor lifted up the chair Zero had knocked over. "It's clear that you've been under a lot of stress lately, and I understand that--" 

"NO!" Zero practically yelled in the doctor's face. 

Cain nearly jumped, his eyes widened, surprised at the Hunter's outburst. 

"I'm sorry, Dr. Cain," Zero continued, taking a deep breath, "But this isn't stress. Something seriously weird is going on here . . . I can't . . . I don't know what to . . ." 

"Alright, just take a few deep breathes, maybe we should call Lifesaver . . ." 

No! No! Zero thought, clenching his fists, he think's I'm completely mad! 

"Wait!" Zero pleaded, "What if I . . . what if I tell you everything from my dream . . . and we wait and see if it happens that way today. Then you'll have to believe me, alright?" 

The doctor hesitated, running a hand through his beard slowly, he sat down at his desk, deep in thought. ". . . You sincerely believe that you are stuck in some sort of . . . time . . . paradox?" Cain asked, "Do you not admit, that from my perspective, it sounds a little like . . . this may be some sort of . . . mental disturbance on your part?" 

Zero sighed, and hung his head, "I KNOW it sounds impossible. But just wait, for one day, see if this happens." 

". . . Alright." Cain agreed, "But afterwards, I may have no choice but to insist you see Lifesaver." 

". . . . Agreed." Zero nodded, he wanted this to stop, he didn't care if it was his mind, or whatever. 

"Well, then, have a seat and tell me everything--absolutely everything--that is going to happen . . . today." Cain told him. And he did. 

Afterwards, it was growing later, Cain sighed, "Well, I'll look into it . . . I suppose, now according to you, X should be in the training centre right now, why don't you go and see?" 

Zero hesitated, then nodded, ". . . Fine." He stood and left. 

After Zero had left, Dr. Cain picked up the phone, he called Alia from her office. 

"Yes, Sir?" She asked. 

"Alia, can you tell me the exact location of Maverick Hunter X?" Cain asked. 

"Just a minute . . . He's in the training centre, Sir." Alia reported, "According to my computer he's running a program where he fights five Slash Beasts without his weapons equipped." 

Dr. Cain paled as he listened to her voice. "I--I see. Thank you, Alia." He choked, and hung up the receiver. Then the doctor leaned forwards, placed his hands over his head on the desk, and shut his eyes. "Oh dear . . . . What in the world is going on, here?" 

X, was, just as Alia had told Dr. Cain, busy fighting five Slash Beasts, when Zero walked into the training centre. "Hi, Zero." He called cheerfully. "You know what. . . I'm fighting these guys without any weapons. Not all battles are won with brawn, you know, some are won with brains!" 

Zero did not respond, he shook his head, he was beginning to feel dizzy. He knew he was going to respond with doubling the program, but even though he tried to keep his mouth shut, he heard the computer acknowledging his request with a beep, and heard X whining at him for doing such a thing. 

He mumbled something about X going to beat them anyways and left. 

"Huh? What's gotten into him?" X wondered, as the ten Slash Beasts all leapt at him, growling and snarling. 

"I hate this!" Zero muttered to himself, walking down the hallway towards the cafeteria, "I hate this, I hate this, I hate this, I--" 

He stopped when the mess hall came into view, and he entered cautiously, looking out for Double. 

Juts like he knew it would happen, Double came sliding by, screaming like the world was going to end, and Zero had half a mind to just pull out his Z saber and slice the bothersome Reploid's head clean off . . . but restrained himself, watching the round ballish Hunter trip and land on his face, his food tray sent flying through the air, destined to collide with Signas' face. 

"That's what you get for firing me." Zero muttered under his breath, absently helping Double to his feet. 

"Ah man, Signas is gonna kill me." The Reploid squeaked, looking between Zero and Signas nervously. 

"Uh . . . yeah, probably, you just ruined his uniform." Zero told the Reploid, it wasn't much for comfort, but his mind was elsewhere, at that minute Dr. Cain entered the mess hall. 

He immediately headed for Zero, pausing to look at Signas, who was plastered with lettuce and soup, and gaping in disbelief. 

Signas' eyebrow twitched and he bellowed angrily at Double, saying goodbye to Cain and Zero. 

"Uh . . . Zero." Cain said slowly, "I don't quite believe this, but . . ." 

He had no time to continue, X Lifesaver barged up to them angrily, a smirk on his face. "Well, well," He began in a supercilious fashion. 

Zero shook his head in disbelief. 

Cain looked between the two of them, intrigued. 

"Look who's here. . ." The medical Reploid continued, "This is a cafeteria for Maverick Hunters, not MAVERICKS!" 

"I don't believe it . . ." Cain murmured, at that minute, two large, bulky Reploids appeared and began dragging Lifesaver away by the shoulders. 

"Let me go!" He screamed angrily, "I'm not the Maverick, you imbeciles!! HE is!! HE is!!" The Reploid screamed, all the while pointing towards Zero with a shaking hand. 

"Zero--" Cain began, only to be interrupted again, this time by a cheerfully, though quite battered, X, whose arm was barely hanging on by one wire. 

"I did it, Zero! I beat 'em! I beat 'em!" Zero didn't even look at X, instead he groaned, and fell into one of the mess hall's chairs. "You didn't think I could do it! By I did it! I beat all ten of 'em! And guess what? It wasn't so hard, either!" X continued, talking a mile a minute, as though not even aware that Zero obviously, was not paying the least bit of attention to his ramblings. 

"X. . ." Cain intervened, "Can I ask you something?" 

"Huh? Oh, yes, of course, Dr. Cain." X said. 

"What are you planning on trying next?" The doctor asked. 

"Oh . . . TAI QUAN DO!!" X beamed, striking a martial arts pose like in a movie. "I want to be one of those cool martial-arts using fighting-type guys and . . ." He basically continued on like this, as Cain and Zero exchanged worried glances. 

After a while, X seemed to notice they were no longer paying attention to him, and went off to continue his training, as he left, Lifesaver entered for the second time--err, that day. 

"You think you're so tough, do ya, huh, big guy?!" Lifesaver yelled, "Well guess what, you and me tonight in the training centre!! Nine o'clock sharp, unless you're to chicken!" 

Zero groaned again, not even looking up. What the hell is going on? He wondered, over and over again in his mind. What's happening? Maybe I am insane . . . 

". . . . Zero, what are you going to do?" Cain asked, concern on his face. 

"He's gonna fight me!" Lifesaver bellowed, "Unless your to scared! Chicken! To afraid to fight a medical reploid! Aww. . . I'm to tough for you, that's it, right?" 

A group of Hunter's sitting at the table next to them laughed, and giggled. 

"You wish!" Zero snapped, leaping to his feet, "I'll beat the crap out of you right here and now!" 

"Nine o'clock!" Lifesaver snapped back at him, "In the training centre! That is, if you aren't to scared!" 

"Grrr. . . ." Cain had to get four other Hunters to hold back Zero, he wasn't sure he wanted to, but even he couldn't let them kill each other in the cafeteria. 

"Zero just calm down a bit . . ." Cain said quietly, "We can work this out . . ." 

"Nine it is!" Zero called to Lifesaver, as the other Reploid left, a superior smirk on his face.   
  


"What am I going to do . . . . ?" Zero asked Dr. Cain, as the two sat down at one of the tables, the trouble having passed, for the moment. "What's happening to me?" 

"I don't know . . . I honestly haven't a clue . . ." Cain replied, removing his glasses, and massaging his nose. "Why don't you . . . not go tonight?" 

"NOT GO?!" Zero exclaimed, "Back out of a fight with Lifesaver?! I'd be the laughing stock of the entire base! I--I'd--" 

"Alright, alright," Cain sighed, shaking his head. "Well how badly do you want to solve this thing? Listen, maybe that was just a dream or something--" 

"A dream everyone had?!" 

"I don't know!" The doctor cried, "But whatever it was, this is real life, I know because I know I'm really here, and in real life, there is no way that you would lose to Lifesaver. I'm going to come and watch the fight tonight, and see this for myself." 

"Alright." Zero sighed, "Okay, this could work. . ." 

"Besides, the things you describe Lifesaver doing during your fight are not physically possible, so don't worry about it, you might make yourself lose, that way. Just remember, this is real life, you can beat Lifesaver." 

"Right . . ." 

"Um, excuse me." A voice interrupted, they looked up to see Douglas standing before their table. "We're closing the mess hall now, lunch is over." 

Zero blinked. 

"Uh . . . we close every day at--" 

"Yeah, yeah, I know, but, Douglas you don't work here, you're a mechanic or something!" Zero scoffed. 

Douglas raised an eyebrow, "Uh . . . Zero, I run the cafeteria. Were have you been?" 

Zero looked at Cain, the old man shrugged helplessly. 

"That was weird . . ." Zero told Cain as they left. "Really . . ." 

"Indeed it was . . ." The doctor agreed, "And also, on the wall behind you there was the strangest picture . . ." 

"Was it of a moose, by any chance?" Zero asked. 

"Why yes, yes how did you . . .?" 

"I saw it before, uh yesterday, or, um, you know." 

"Oh . . ." Cain nodded as they approached the training centre. 

Zero took a deep breath. 

"Good evening, X." Dr. Cain said as they entered, Zero said nothing. 

"Hi, Zero!" X called, "You know what; some battles aren't won with brains or brawn, some battles are won with--" 

"Tai Qaun Do." Zero mumbled. 

"W-what?" X asked, "How did you know I was gonna say--" 

"Uh, X, Lifesaver and I have this place reserved. You should probably get to the observation booth now." 

"Uh--and how did you know I wanted to watch?" 

"Never mind, X." Cain said, leading the younger Reploid with him to the observation areas. "Never mind." 

The second Cain and X had left the floor, the training centre's doors swished open and Lifesaver strutted in. "All right, the first one who calls for mercy loses and the fight stops, agreed." 

Zero shrugged. 

"That's fine with me!" Lifesaver smirked, he quickly pulled out two red sabers. 

"I didn't say--" Ah hell, what's the point, I just have to kick his ass, right? 

"Arrrgh!" Lifesaver roared and rushed at him furiously. He slashed the two sabers at Zero madly but Zero easily dodged the strikes. Well, he'd done this battle enough times to easily know where Lifesaver was going to swing. 

Zero kicked him the chest and knocked the sabers out of his hands. He punched Lifesaver in the shoulder, then the chest, kicked his back. 

Same moves, again. 

How can this be a coincidence?! 

Wait . . . didn't I think that last time? 

Ah hell. 

Suddenly Lifesaver grabbed his fist and threw Zero across the room. "It's impossible!" Zero screamed. "Why?! How can you do this?!" 

"Surprised Zero, you shouldn't be! I've always felt I had . . . hidden potential!" Lifesaver grinned, he punched Zero across the face. 

That hurt. 

It was all happening again. 

Again. 

"Shut up!" Zero screamed, "I don't care about your stupid jokes! How the hell did you get so strong?!" 

He was going to lose. 

To Lifesaver. 

In the stands, Dr. Cain and X could hardly believe their eyes. "What is this . . . Cain, why can't Zero beat Lifesaver?" X asked. 

"I . . . I have no idea!" The doctor gasped. 

Lifesaver kicked him in the gut, Zero fell backwards. "No! It isn't possible! I won't lose to you!!" Zero screamed. He jumped back, grabbed Lifesaver's right arm and twisted it back, he could here it break, but Lifesaver didn't appear to mind. "I just broke your arm!" Zero screamed at him. 

"Oh is that what it was?" Lifesaver laughed, he stretched out his broken arm and it snapped back into place with a sickening crunch. 

"WHAT?!" Zero cried out, Lifesaver kicked him in the chest, Zero flew backwards and crashed into the ground. 

"What's going on Zero?!" X cried from the benches were he sat behind a glass wall. He leapt to his feet and banged on the glass. "What's wrong?! You're being beaten by . . . Lifesaver?!" 

"Come on!" Cain yelled as well, "Don't let your dream get to you! Remember that this is REAL!" 

"Impossible!!" Zero spat, he struggled to his feet this time, he realized his body was shaking. "This is not . . . real! It CAN'T be!!" 

Zero lunged at Lifesaver, this time he didn't hold back, he punched him with all of his strength, Lifesaver staggered but--but it should have sent him flying with a hole in his chest, Zero thought. He grabbed Lifesaver's arm again and this time twisted it until it broke off. He screamed and punched Lifesaver again, and again. He broke the other arm off. He went for the head, but Lifesaver leaped backwards several feet. 

Zero was breathing heavily. 

This was no dream! Hell, this was a nightmare!!! 

Then Lifesaver did something which had never been done by a Reploid before. Except for in Zero's dream. The socket where his arms had been began glowing and new arms burst out of the light, they grew until they were exactly as his arms had been, they even glistened like new. "Impossible!!" Zero screamed. 

"It can't be!" Cain gasped from the stands. "That can't be done! I've never built--I've never seen--I've never heard of such a thing!!" 

Zero drew his saber, he slashed at Lifesaver in a hundred violent blows, the saber flashing to and fro in a blinding display of light, but when he stopped and the smoke cleared . . . not one scratch, not one dent, remained on Lifesaver. 

Again. This was getting annoying. 

Zero screamed, he lunged at the Reploid with all his force, driving the saber straight through Lifesaver's chest. 

The Reploid didn't move, didn't wince, didn't even blink. 

Instead, Lifesaver punched Zero and he went flying several feet backwards. He crashed into the floor and moaned in pain. "Impossible . . . this is impossible. . . I don't believe it . . ." He gasped. 

"Oh BELIEVE it." Lifesaver grinned, standing over him, Zero's saber sticking out of his chest and all, and he kicked Zero sharply in the side, Zero gasped in pain. "Just say it, say it and I win the fight." 

"Say it!" Dr. Cain cried from the stands, "Good God, man, it's not worth your life!" 

Zero squeezed his eyes shut tightly, the pain was overwhelming, his pride was stuck in his throat, but he didn't want to be stuck in this day again, not again. "Fine . . . you . . . win!" Zero gasped, from where he lay on the floor, grasping his wounded side in agony. 

"No . . . not until I have your head!" Lifesaver growled, and pulled Zero's saber out of his chest, lifting it above his head ceremoniously. 

Zero could hear X and Cain screaming in the distance, and that was the last thing he heard, as Lifesaver brought the saber down. 

Again. 


	4. Thursday

Twisted Zone 

--Time Loop-- 

--Thursday-- 

Senya Starseeker 

twilight_rhapsody@hotmail.com 

Disclaimer: Characters belong to CAPCOM, of course! But . . . do you think if I begged for a *really* long time they'd give me Zero? What? You don't? Oh well . . . can't hurt to try right? **Sees a team of highly-trained extremely-scary lawyers in the corner** um, on second thought, never mind . . . they all belong to CAPCOM, folks! 

A/N: Wow, I almost fell out of my chair when I saw how many people were reviewing this! It's a lot of reviews for me anyways, and it made me super happy, so thanks :) because I'm getting so many reviews for this ficcy I'm trying hard to update it more often, but, well, school's a real pain in the butt, y'know -_-. 

--Thursday--   
  


Zero cried out as the saber came down on his head, but suddenly the training centre, Lifesaver, the pain, was all gone. "Not again . . ." He groaned, even before opening his eyes to the shiny reflective dome-like cover of his resting pod. 

"Is something wrong, Zero?" X asked, sitting up sleepily. "It's--" 

"Five a.m., I know, I know!" Zero moaned, sliding out of his capsule, throwing on his trench coat and storming out of their room, leaving a very confused X, who had just been about to tell his friend of the strange dream he had. . . 

Just outside of their room, predictable because he'd lived this twice before, was Signas, the promising young major, who was for the most part friendly towards Zero, at least not, directly unfriendly, but Zero was seriously in no mood to be sociable. So he merely glared in annoyance as Signas said, "No rest for the weary!" And chuckling to himself, continued with something about dosing off at his desk and a mountain of paperwork. 

The crimson Hunter felt his fists flex involuntarily, and was fighting to restrain himself from attacking his commanding officer in a frenzy of madness, but stopped himself, he had to get to Dr. Cain's office, he wasn't sure what help that would be now, but . . . 

"You know, I had a dream, my first one actually and you were in--" 

But when the major-soon-to-be-general turned back to Zero, the Hunter was gone. 

Zero practically ran down the long Maverick Hunter Head Quarter's hallways, he did not know why, but he knew that he had to go to Dr. Cain again, perhaps because the doctor was the only one who might possibly know some thing of what was going on, he would try a different approach, this time. Zero's mind was so pre-occupied with these plans that he nearly collided with a green, cheerful reploid. 

"You're up early." The green reploid beamed, oblivious to Zero's turmoil and confusion. 

Zero did not respond, he barely nodded at the Reploid and started down the hallway again, however Douglas grabbed his arm, in a surprisingly sturdy grasp. 

"You know I had the oddest dream--" He began cheerfully, Zero tried to pull away, but couldn't, which was to odd to be fathomed at this point, and Douglas merely continued, unnoticing, "You were fighting Lifesaver, and you know what? You were losing, that was really odd, don't you think, Zero?" 

The blonde Hunter finally managed to yank his arm out of Douglas' grasp, only then noticing the chef's apron the green Hunter was wearing. "Douglas . . ." He thought, then shook his head, "Forget it." And continued down the hall. /What's wrong with me. . .? Maybe I'm delirious? Is this all some elaborate hallucination?/ 

He finally pushed open the doors to Dr. Cain's office, and was startled to see the doctor already awake, sitting at his desk, with his aged head in his gnarled hands. 

"Dr. Cain, do you . . . I mean . . ." 

He looked up, as though surprised, and his eyes widened when he saw Zero. 

"I. . . I'm sorry, for barging in, Sir . . ." Zero continued. 

However, Cain shook his head, "I had such a strange dream, I . . . but never mind, Zero, what do you--what do you need?" 

". . . I don't really know where to begin. Has there ever been any cases in history . . . were a reploid was stuck repeating the same day again and--" 

"Oh dear god." Cain paretically whispered in a hoarse voice. "Are you saying it wasn't a dream? That fight with Lifesaver, that way his arms regenerated? The way you kept predicting the things that would happen because according to you, you had lived the day before?" 

Zero gasped slightly, shocked by what the doctor was saying, "You mean you . . . you remember?" Zero asked, eyes wide, "You actually remember? No one else ever does, you didn't the first time, you only had a dream . . . but this time you actually . . ." 

"So we are in . . . the same day, again? Is that it?" Cain asked slowly, massaging his temples. 

"Yes! Yes, that's it exactly, only this time you remember!" Zero exclaimed, a sudden surge of hope rose within him, he could not quite explain it, but he was suddenly relieved, and a new hope was born within him. 

Yet the old man seemed tired, weary, and hopelessly baffled by the paradox, "So . . . this is my second time. Your . . .?" 

He thought for a minute, "My fourth. Yes, my fourth, the original day was Monday, so this should be Thursday." 

"I see. However, look at the calendar on my computer, according to this it /is/ Monday." Cain groaned, "This is to unbelievable!" 

"But what do we do?!" Zero cried desperately, "There has to be something to break the cycle! I've done this again and again and again and it just doesn't end I don't--" 

"That's it!" Cain's eyes lite up, "That's it! Break the cycle! Don't fight Lifesaver, heck, don't leave my office, don't go to the training centre, don't go to the mess hall, nothing!" 

Zero blinked, then a slow smile crept across his face, "Of course! Because if I don't go to the mess hall Lifesaver can't challenge me, then we can't fight, then he can't beat me!" 

"Then the day should not repeat, correct?" Dr. Cain asked, stroking his grey beard in thought, while uttering 'hms' and 'ums' and pacing the small office carefully. 

"Excellent!" Zero exclaimed, sitting down in one of the chairs, "I'll stay here, no problem at all!" 

"Yes, yes," Cain nodded in agreement, "Everything should be quite all right." 

And it was . . . for a few hours at least, the two sat and talked about the strange un-earthliness of the events, Zero recalled his shock the first time Lifesaver had beaten him (it was more like downright terror, but he wouldn't let anyone, even Dr. Cain, know that) and Dr. Cain mused over how this could easily have sprung from any number of science-fiction novels or television programs. "All though, the whole day-repeating plot is a little old." He chuckled. 

"Now we know were they get it from . . ." Zero groaned, and they both snickered quietly at the thought. 

"Really, I wonder if this has ever happened to anyone else befor--" Suddenly however, Zero broke off, around him colours were palely swirling, the walls seemed to be growing thinner, and transparent. 

"Zero, what's wrong?" Dr. Cain asked. 

". . . The walls . . . they're . . . melting away . . ." Zero murmured, almost as though entranced. 

"What?!" Dr. Cain asked, he looked around, it was true, the walls were becoming swirling masses of hues and lights. 

In a moment the swirling stopped, and the scenery reasserted itself. Only the two were not sitting in Dr. Cain's office chuckling over how they had beaten the system, they were sitting in the mess hall, or cafeteria, if you will, with cups of coffee on the table in front of them. 

Dr. Cain blinked, the old man had paled considerably, and Zero feared he might faint or something else that was prone to humans, but the doctor only coughed, and took a deep breath. "Oh my." He said quietly. 

"No kidding." Zero murmured, and was surprised to find that his voice was shaken, and his breath was coming in short gasps. He collected himself. "That was different." 

At that moment, Double ran by their table, sliding and fumbling over his own two feet, he gave a little cry and sent the food flying through the air as he fell flat on his face. Zero would have smiled wryly, if he hadn't seen this an awful lot. Predictably, the food splattered onto Signas, and Signas barked at Double for being such a klutz, and led him away. 

"It seems . . ." Dr. Cain said softly, "That no matter what course of action we take, we are forced to act out these particular events . . ." 

"You mean I am." Zero grumbled, it wasn't that he was ungrateful for the doctor's help, in fact on the contrary he was incredibly thankful the doctor remembered what was happening and was able to help him through it, but it was getting annoying, and alarming. Would he be stuck doing this one day until he finally did die by Lifesaver's hand? He repressed a shudder at the thought. 

Cain glanced across the table at Zero with concern etched into his elderly visage. Not knowing what else to do, the old man sighed and took a sip of his coffee. 

When he looked up again, the medical Reploid, Lifesaver, had entered the room and was making his way angrily towards their table. When he reached them, he slammed his fist down on the table and glaring at Zero as though Dr. Cain wasn't there said what he had said on the first Monday, and all the ones that had followed: 

"Look who's here. . . This is a cafeteria for Maverick Hunters, not MAVERICKS!" 

Then, as two larger Reploids dragged him away, screamed back towards them, pointing at Zero with an arm that was shaking with rage, "Let me go! I'm not the Maverick, you imbeciles!! HE is!! HE is!!" 

"I can't believe this . . ." Cain murmured. 

"I know." Zero nodded, "What do you suppose this is? What's causing this?" 

"I don't know . . . wait . . . Mavericks . . . do you suppose that a Maverick could somehow be behind this, Zero?" 

"Your theories are as good as mine." Zero shrugged helplessly, "Maybe. But I've never known a Maverick that could shift time." 

"Maybe it isn't really . . . . perhaps the Maverick is interfering with our minds?" The doctor asked, leaning across the table and staring Zero straight in the eyes. "Don't you notice how odd the details of this day have been. Not only Lifesaver beating you, but the fact that Douglas is a handing out meals here in the cafeteria, or the large moose painting, or the fact that on one of the days you say that Signas wanted to fire you for not being 'Maverick Hunter material?'" 

". . . . I see your point, Doctor." Zero agreed, but was then distracted by the blue Hunter who had just entered the cafeteria, he was smiling happily, and waving to them from the entrance, one arm hanging loosely, barely attached after the fiasco at the training centre which the two of them /knew/ had happened. 

"But wait, I wasn't there to double the difficulty for him this time." Zero said quietly as X approached them. 

"I know." Dr. Cain nodded, "But let's just play along for now, alright?" 

Zero nodded just as X reached their table, he was beaming with pride and very ecstatic, "I did it, Zero! I beat 'em, all of 'em! The ones you sent after me and everything!" 

Zero shot Cain a look that said, 'you-know-I-wasn't-even-there.' And Cain shot him a look back that said, 'I-know-this-is-very-weird.' 

X continued babbeling on to them about how he planned to beat his next opponents with Tai Quan Doe. 

Zero shook his head, and fell forwards, hitting the tabletop. 

"Are you okay, Zero?" X asked, concerned. 

"Um, yeah, don't worry about me." Zero mumbled, not lifting his head. 

"Well, if you say so . . . I'd better get back to training!" X said with happy-obliviousness, "Can't wait to learn Tai Quan Doe!" He struck a very-cheesy martial-arts pose. 

Cain sighed, "You know that takes years of practice and inner--" 

"I'm gonna get Douglas to stick it in my brain." 

". . . . Oh yes, you're Reploids." Cain chuckled, Zero still had his head on the table and was not lifting it. 

"Well, see ya!" X called, waving as he left their table. 

"I can't take this anymore . . ." Zero moaned, Cain looked at him with sympathy, having only lived the day twice to his recollection. 

Suddenly, well, predictably for our hero, Lifesaver barged in for a second time, this time he was clearly angry, he fought the other Reploids to get in, and pounded across the mess hall to Zero and Cain's table, the coffee cups rattled. A few people watching gasped, Zero said nothing, and didn't even look at the Reploid. 

"You think you're so tough, do ya, huh, big guy?!" Lifesaver yelled, "Well guess what, you and me tonight in the training centre!! Nine o'clock sharp, unless you're to chicken!" 

"Listen, Lifesaver . . ." Dr. Cain intervened, or tried to, Lifesaver utterly ignored him, bellowing over the elderly man's voice, at Zero. 

/Maybe I am insane./ Zero thought, as Lifesaver yelled at him. /Maybe it is a Maverick playing with my mind. Or else . . . we're stuck in some time-space loop thing . . . maybe it's all one of those really annoying dreams were you think you wake up but you don't?/ The blonde Hunter came out of his thoughts, just to hear the medical Reploid with a grudge against him yell: 

"Nine o'clock! In the training centre! That is, if you aren't to scared!" 

He didn't answer, but it didn't seem to matter, because when he finally did pick his head off the table, Lifesaver had already stormed off. 

Cain appeared seriously shaken, he was an old man, to old for this sort of mental torment, but he appeared even more concerned for Zero than for himself. "How do we get out of this?" He wondered aloud, "How do we end this continuous time-loop . . .?" 

"I don't know." Zero shook his head, "A Maverick you said, right? Maybe Lifesaver is really the Maverick, right? And I have to beat him and then this will end?" 

"Perhaps . . ." Cain said, "Let us return to my office now for research . . . we will not go to the training centre tonight." He looked at Zero as though challenging him. 

"Feh." Zero said nonchalantly, "To hell with fighting Lifesaver, trust me anything to get this god forsaken day to just END!" 

Dr. Cain nodded, they rose and left the hall, and the second their feet hit the hallway entrance they were . . . 

In the training centre, and the clock on the wall said five to nine. 

"What the bloody hell?!" Zero exclaimed, he spun around, but stepping back through the doorway only brought them back into the training centre as bizarre as that was. 

"I don't believe this!!" Dr. Cain said in a very gruff voice that was not himself. "Is fate completely against us?! Is this some sort of curse?!" 

"I guess all I can do is try to kill him, in case he is the Maverick," Zero breathed, "I won't hold anything back at all, I'll go at it right from the start just as though he were a Maverick boss." 

"Good." Cain nodded, regaining his composure slightly. "Perhaps you could get X to help you." 

The first time around, Zero would have scoffed X's help to beat Lifesaver. Maybe even the second time around. Possibly the third. But now? Hell, he was willing to take all the help you could get. 

"Hey, Zero!" X called, just seeing them, "Not all battles are won with brawn or brains, some are won with . . ." 

"Tai Quan Doe." Cain chimed in, getting the hang of this. 

X blinked. "Wow, you sure are smart Dr. Cain!" 

Cain chuckled, despite the situation. "Indeed." 

Zero rolled his eyes, he was not in the mood. 

The holograms X had been training with abruptly dissolved into thin air, and X complained, as he had before, "Oh yeah, some jerk reserved this place for nine!" 

"Lifesaver and I . . ." Zero reminded him. 

"Oh yeah, can I watch?" X asked. 

"Actually X, I was wondering if you would . . ." Now Zero had to swallow his pride. "Help me." 

"Help you?" X blinked, then began laughing, "That's a good one, Z, imagine you needing help to beat Lifesaver! Hahahahaha !!!" 

"Actually, X," Dr. Cain spoke, clearing his throat, "I would like to see the two of you pair up against him, it's um, for some research I'm conducting." 

"Oh. Sure. Okay." X nodded. 

Zero sighed in relief, and gave Dr. Cain a 'thanks' glance. 

At that moment however, Alia ran in to the centre, a worried look on her face. "X, you must come with me! I have paperwork that needs to be filled out pronto!" 

"Aw, Alia, can't it wait?" X asked. 

"X this is serious! I could lose my job! I-I didn't notice these forms and they're already so late, and--and-- the superiors are gonna throw a fit if they don't get them ASAP and--and--" If she was acting, Zero thought, she made the wrong choice in becoming a Hunter, because that was an Oscar-worthy performance. And real or not, X was convinced, and Zero couldn't really blame him, Alia looked completely frazzled and close to tears. 

". . . Okay, don't worry Alia, I'm coming." X said, "Sorry Zero, Cain, I'll do this later, okay?" 

"Uh. . . wait, X!" Cain said, as X started towards Alia, "This is imperative, help us here, I'll take full responsibility for the lateness of the report, Alia." 

"Oh . . . okay. . ." X said slowly, knowing something was definitely odd. 

However then, Double slid in, bumping into Alia, and after apologizing, turned to face them with an extremely worried look on his pudgy face, "X! Mavericks are attacking the city! You're needed right now!" 

"If there are Mavericks, I should go as well!" Zero said. 

"Uh . . .n-no!" Double stuttered nervously, "Signas' orders, he only wants X to go!" 

"That makes no sense whatsoever!" Cain cried, he turned to Zero, "I think you have to face Lifesaver alone, this is like the room melting and the hallway disappearing and everything. . . I think no matter what we say or do, X will get pulled away somehow." 

Zero nodded, he didn't like it, but he saw the doctor's point. "But it's so suspicious, because Alia and Double never came in when I didn't want X to help me." 

"I know." Cain nodded, "I know. Believe me I'm trying to figure this out." 

Zero nodded, "I know you are, Doctor, thank you." 

That spoken, and X departed with Double and Alia, Lifesaver entered the centre. Zero felt a chill run down his spine, his hands were shaking . . . he didn't believe it but he was . . . he was nervous, no, more than that, scared. 

"All right, the first one who calls for mercy loses and the fight stops, agreed." 

Zero nodded absently, knowing full well whatever he said would do no good. 

Lifesaver smirked, and quickly pulled out two red sabers. 

"Remember, hold nothing back!" Cain shouted, as he made his way to the observation stands. 

And he wouldn't. Before Lifesaver could make a move, Zero rushed at him, screaming and thrusting his Z saber like mad, he slashed and blasted with his buster, he kicked Lifesaver in the chest, and spun around, pushing his entire weight into a blow to the Reploid's face. 

However, Lifesaver grabbed his fist and threw Zero across the room. He didn't scream. What was the point? But he did let a muffled cry escape him as he crashed into the back wall of the complex. It hurt. If possible, more so than before. And despite all his blows and slashes, Lifesaver was without a scratch. 

"Surprised Zero, you shouldn't be! I've always felt I had . . . hidden potential!" Lifesaver grinned, he punched Zero across the face. 

Again. Again. Again. Again. 

"How the hell did you get so strong?!" Zero screamed, "What is this?! What are you doing to me?! How?! Answer me!!" 

Lifesaver laughed, strangling Zero and lifting him above the ground. "What's the matter, Zero . . . not having a good day?" He smirked. 

/He knows . . ./ Zero realized, as a sharp blow to the ribs momentarily blinded him with a wave of pain. /He is the Maverick . . . it has to be . . . what else . . .? But I can't beat him . . ./ 

He was doomed to lose. 

To Lifesaver. 

Yet again. 

Lifesaver kicked him in the gut, Zero fell backwards. "No! It isn't possible! I won't lose to you!!" Zero screamed. It was futile, hopelessly, and the pain was making him delirious and almost high. He jumped back, grabbed Lifesaver's right arm and twisted it back, he could here it break, but Lifesaver did not appear to mind. He did not flinch. "I just broke your arm!" Zero screamed at him. 

"Oh is that what it was?" Lifesaver laughed, he stretched out his broken arm and it snapped back into place with a sickening crunch. 

Zero was used to this by now, he screamed, but this time it was purely a scream of frustration, of anger, of hatred, and not at all of surprise. Lifesaver kicked him in the chest, Zero flew backwards and crashed into the ground. 

Dr. Cain, watching helplessly, closed his eyes, /please let him win./ He thought in his mind. 

Zero lunged at Lifesaver, again, Lifesaver staggered but--but it should have sent him flying with a hole in his chest, Zero thought. He grabbed Lifesaver's arm again and this time twisted it until it broke off. He screamed and punched Lifesaver again, and again. He broke the other arm off. He went for the head, but Lifesaver leaped backwards several feet. 

Zero was breathing heavily. 

Was this a nightmare?! A hallucination?! Insanity?! Was this what it was like to lose your mind?! 

Lifesaver did something which had never been done by a Reploid before. Except for in Zero's dreams. Nightmares. Hallucinations. The socket where his arms had been began glowing and new arms burst out of the light, they grew until they were exactly as his arms had been, they even glistened like new. "Impossible!!" Zero screamed. 

"How can he do that?!" Cain screamed, "It makes no sense! There isn't a Reploid on Earth with that capability!" 

Zero drew his saber, he slashed at Lifesaver in a hundred violent blows, the saber flashing to and fro in a blinding display of light, but when he stopped and the smoke cleared . . . not one scratch, not one dent, remained on Lifesaver. 

Again. This was getting annoying. 

Zero screamed, he lunged at the Reploid with all his force, driving the saber straight through Lifesaver's chest. 

The Reploid didn't move, didn't wince, didn't even blink. 

Instead, Lifesaver punched Zero and he went flying several feet backwards. He crashed into the floor and moaned in pain. "Impossible . . . this is impossible. . . I don't believe it . . ." He gasped. 

"Oh BELIEVE it." Lifesaver grinned, standing over him, Zero's saber sticking out of his chest and all, and he kicked Zero sharply in the side, Zero gasped in pain. "Just say it, say it and I win the fight." 

"Say it!" Dr. Cain cried from the stands, "Good God, man, it's not worth your life!" 

Zero squeezed his eyes shut tightly, the pain was overwhelming, his pride was stuck in his throat, but he didn't want to be stuck in this day again, not again. "Fine . . . you . . . win!" Zero gasped, from where he lay on the floor, grasping his wounded side in agony. 

"No . . . not until I have your head!" Lifesaver growled, and pulled Zero's saber out of his chest, lifting it above his head ceremoniously. 

Zero knew how it was going to end, and yet, he felt his hear race as the saber came down, squinted his eyes shut, dreading it, feeling every inch of his being brace for the pain. 

Again   
  


A/N: 'The Never Ending Monday', eh . . .? I must be a sadist or something/jk, but I really torture the chara I love through all this hell and mental anguish . . . yes, people reading my Zero ficcy know what I can be like (this is almost nothing, eh?) . . . oh, poor Zero, glad I'm not in his shoes right now. 


End file.
